atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Cabling Telephones Systems Wiring Plenum cable above drop ceiling

Now we're going to hear from a bunch of people who say they don't pay much more for plenum CAT5 than riser. Sorry guys, that's either because you are buying crap cable or wherever you are getting it from is charging too much for riser.

-Hal

The cost difference is minimal in this case. Just do it with plenum.

What do you mean minimal, have you ever bid a cabling job? The price for plenum is twice that of pvc. I don't think that Grand Haven has a requirement for plenum, but it's best to check. I wouldn't take sparky's word for gospel.

John. I mean for a small size job its minimal.
Avarage plenum 100 feet is about $XXX, riser is $XXX That what I mean


**edited for pricing**

If in doubt always use Plenum cable, who cares about the extra cost as that’s passed onto the customer anyway.
I do find it hilarious, last few jobs we have done in the Jersey suburbs, the 90 yr old electrical inspector wouldn’t know what a bit of Cat 5e Plenum even looks like………………….
I guess that’s why in the U.S. you never find a Power outlet or light switch plate that is level……..oh well
N.S.W. electrical Lic 874323B

JohnP: At the rexel here in Tampa it's the same. Last I checked we only needed plenum as the NEC defines it though. Not that it stops anyone from doing whatever they want AFTER the building is built.

One of the problems I find is when bidding against some other contractors they bid the job a little lower than a plenum rated job and use riser for everything(voice and data) and "say" that they are installing pleneum rated cable....nobody checks

the 90 yr old electrical inspector wouldn’t know what a bit of Cat 5e Plenum even looks like... [They] "say" that they are installing pleneum rated cable...nobody checks

It is a problem to check. Riser looks just like plenum, you have to read the printing on the jacket. If there are lots of runs you would have to look at each one to be sure the installer didn't sneak riser in there also.

I'm thinking that it would be a good idea to require cable manufacturers to put a red stripe on all plenum listed cable. That way it could be identified at a glance.

-Hal

correct me if im wrong, but the only difference is PVC says CMR on the jacket & Plenum says CMP

Well, not exactly. This is true for a lot of the imported cable that's out there, but the American manufacturers do maintain a separate manufacturing process. There is LSPVC jacketing material (low smoke PVC) that technically qualifies as suitable for plenum use, but it's not accepted everywhere.

PVC cable can be type CM, CMX, CMR, MP, MPR or CL2.